A FAMILY of fundraisers have been praised for their efforts to honour a loving grandfather on what would have been his 69th birthday.

The Millington family of Holywell raised £4,500 for the British Lung Foundation Wales in memory of Derek Millington who died after a battle with emphysema.

Over the past few months his widow Irene and her family have organised a 10,000-ft parachute jump with Julie Millington, Derek’s daughter, Samantha Millington, his
granddaughter, and Samantha’s friend Pamela Wilkinson taking part.

Gareth Millington, Derek’s son, ran the Chester Half Marathon and a family fun day was held at the Lighthouse Inn in Talacre.

Irene and the family presented their donation to the charity at a special dinner in St Asaph on Monday, which would have been Derek’s birthday.

Irene, who paid for the meal as a way of thanking those who helped raise the money, said: “The reason I chose the British Lung Foundation was because I saw Derek suffer for so long.

“Attending the breathe-easy group with him made me realise just how many people suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and we knew there wasn’t enough funding to help people with lung conditions.

“The fundraising has also been a lifesaver for me, keeping me busy and focused.

“It was an emotional night. We felt we had achieved something. I felt very proud.

“When Derek died I did not know what to do with myself. I needed something to keep focused.

“There are too many people to thank individually. We can’t thank them enough. We are really grateful.”

The money will help fund medical research into lung disease and breathe-easy groups for people with lung conditions and their families.

Chris Mulholland, head of BLF Wales, said: “The money that Irene and her family have raised makes a real difference for people in Wales with lung conditions.
“Their kind donation really will help others to breathe more easily.”